On this day in 2008: Sachin Tendulkar’s classy 91 helps India win CB series

Sachin Tendulkar is the first and only batter in the history of the game to have scored 100 international centuries. Apart from that he remains the all-time highest scorer in Tests and One Day Internationals to date. He also holds numerous records to his name including being the first player to score a men’s ODI double hundred. On 4th March 2008, he played a memorable knock against Australia.

When Sachin agonizingly fell short of a deserving ton yet again

India faced Australia in the second CB Series Final at the Gabba in Brisbane. An upbeat Tendulkar looked in splendid form having scored a match-winning unbeaten 117 in the first final at the SCG. The visitors won the toss and decided to bat first.

Initially, Master Blaster and his opening partner Robin Uthappa took some time to settle down before unleashing their delightful strokes. While India lost Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh as they tried to increase the scoring rate, the Little Master stood firmly at the other end and kept the scoreboard ticking as he neared his record 43rd ODI ton.

Unfortunately, that was not to be and a soft dismissal opened the floodgates for the Aussies. On the second delivery of the 40th over bowled by Michael Clarke, the batting maestro advanced down the track and pushed one softly to the on-side but, an alert Ricky Ponting completed an incredible catch diving forward at short mid-on and Sachin had no choice but to take a long walk back to the pavilion as he fell nine runs short of a well-deserved century.

Nonetheless, the knock was enough to propel the Men in Blue to a fighting total of 258/9 from their 50 overs. A young and spirited Indian bowling lineup then ran through the hosts’ famed batting lineup and bundled them out for 249 with two balls to spare.

By the virtue of this thrilling nine-run win, India registered their first-ever tri-series triumph down under.